Coroners and Inquests: Where Can I Get More Information?

General

  • The Home Office website contains a fair amount information about Coroners, including the Model Coroner's Service Charter, which sets out the standards that Coroners should meet.
  • The human rights organisation Liberty provides a good deal of information on the rights of the bereaved, including a detailed section of their website relating to Coroner's Inquests.
  • Southwark Community Health Council has produced a detailed Guide to Coroners and Inquests.  The CHC itself will be abolished as part of current reforms (see our guidance on Patient Advocacy); however, the guide may remain on-line.
  • King's College London has produced a Coroners' Law Resource.  Some of the content is quite legalistic, but there is some useful information for the layperson, too.
  • The Shipman Inquiry's report into Death Certification and the Investigation of Deaths by Coroners contains both an assessment of the present system, and a wide range of recommendations for future reforms.
  • INQUEST is a pressure group that campaigns for changes in the Coroner's Court system. It is primarily concerned with deaths in custody.
  • The Compassionate Friends - a charity that provides support for parents and families after the death of a child - has produced a leaflet setting out basic information about Inquests, which you can find on their website.  If you have lost a child, they can also put you in touch with people who have suffered a similar loss, who will be able to share their experiences with you.

The Law

  • The law governing Coroners and Inquests is largely set out in two places: the Coroners Act 1988, and the Coroners Rules 1984.
  • The obligation to report particular deaths to the Coroner is set out in the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987.
  • The Home Office has produced a Charter, which sets out the Coroners' "Code of Conduct" (please note, however, that this guidance is advisory, and there is no explicit statutory obligation for Coroners to comply with it).

Scotland

A completely different system for investigating deaths exists in Scotland.  Further details can be found on the following websites: